The Microscopical Society of
Southern California. (MSSC) was founded in 1937 and dedicated to the study
and practice of the science, art, and history of microscopy and to the collection
and study of related scientific devices. We must thank our current president,
James D. Solliday, for the detailed account of the early history
of the society as given below (the full version of this article is printed
in the MSSC Journal V8No1 Jan/Feb 2003 and V8No2 Mar/Apr 2003 which is available
to paying members).

Early History of the Microscopical
Society of Southern California:
A Biographical Perspective, 1937-1948

For
more than half a century, the Microscopical Society of Southern California has
provided the opportunity for both the scientist and the amateur to share in
their enthusiasm for the microscope.

Mr. William Sokol was one of the earliest members of the
Society. In March of 1980, at the suggestion of then president, Gil Melle, Mr.
Sokol recorded his recollections of the formation and early history of the Society.
He also preserved a number of originals documents and early photographs illustrating
the activities and equipment used by founding members. According to these records
the Society was formally organized on March 6, 1941. The original name was established
as the “Los Angeles Microscopical Society.” However, many of the
founding members were from areas surrounding Los Angeles, so on May 15, 1941,
just two months later, the name was changed to the “Southern California
Microscopical Society.” The following historical account has been recorded
as experienced through the participation of early members such as Mr. Sokol.
This account is intended to document the early history only and is therefore
limited to the first twenty-eight years, ending with the official termination
of the name “Southern California Microscopical Society.”

Shortly after the availability of the achromatic microscope (circa 1830’s),
gentlemen with an interest in microscopy began gathering together for the purpose
of promoting and further developing the microscope. The social impact of this
most important instrument was first felt in England and Europe, but soon found
its way to America. By the late 1860’s, American clubs and societies dedicated
to the microscope began to surface. The San Francisco Microscopical Society
has the distinction of being the first such organization on the West Coast.
Established in 1870, it grew in size and reputation to such a degree that it
attracted such prestigious visitors as Joseph Beck of London. However, after
the great earthquake of 1906, the San Francisco Society was allowed to decline
into obscurity. For the next few decades, activities in California associated
with the microscope were left almost exclusively in the hands of its academic
community.

Throughout the 1930’s, economic and social difficulties stimulated a
new migration of people to the West where opportunity was somewhat brighter
than the older, more established East Coast. California was beginning to grow
and had established itself as the entertainment capital of the world. Educators,
scientists and medical men were in great need and began choosing California
as their new home. All of this created a greater demand for the microscope and
the need to make it more commercially available. The West Coast was now able
to support a number of new businesses that specialized in supplying optical
instruments, including microscopes and their accessories. As one might expect,
it was the men who were interested in the microscope that set themselves up
in the business of repairing and selling the instrument. A number of these same
gentlemen were responsible for establishing the Southern California Microscopical
Society.

THE MICROSCOPE GROUP (1937-1941)

Probably
the man who started it all was a gentleman named Max Erb
who at the time worked for the firm of Carl Zeiss. Max Erb was an enthusiastic
fellow who enjoyed the microscope and sought out other individuals who shared
his interests. One such individual was a machinist named Milton Gray who later
joined in partnership with Max Erb, establishing the firm of Erb & Gray
Instrument Co. However, long before this enterprise was to be born, Max Erb
had brought together an association of gentlemen that became known as “The
Microscope Group.” According to early records, the original founding members
were Max Erb, James Smith, Arthur Hurt
and Edward T. Lowe, to be joined later by Milton Gray.

All
of these gentlemen considered microscopy to be their avocation and with some
it was also their vocation. It seems that, in addition to the microscope, these
men shared an interest in the game of chess. A chess tournament was a good excuse
to get together and cultivate their fellowship. Reading through Mr. Sokol’s
notes, I found that the early meetings alternated between microscopy and chess!

In the beginning most of the meetings were conducted at the homes of the members.
The first meeting of the group was held sometime late in 1937. Because Max Erb
was responsible for the formation of the Microscope Group, the duties of the
President and Secretary were also assumed by him. This service is implied as
he organized the meetings and made the phone calls that brought the group together.
We shall therefore refer to him as the first acting officer and unofficial President
of the Society.

THE DOCUMENTED HISTORY (1941-1948)

1941
After a few years of acquiring equipment and hosting various meetings, the group
decided it was about time to establish a formal Society and conduct regular
meetings. A plan of how to proceed was needed as well as a set of proper bylaws.
The first meeting was set up at 12:00 noon on March 6, 1941, at Levy’s
restaurant. Present were the original members including Max Erb, James Smith
and Arthur Hurt. Arthur Hurt acting as the first Secretary faithfully recorded
in type-written form the proceedings of the meeting. Without any objection the
name of the organization was established as the Los Angeles Microscopical Society
(LAMS).

A
few weeks later, on March 27th, a meeting was held at the residence of Dr. John
W. Budd. This meeting was occupied with activities of a technical nature. The
principles of illumination were discussed as well as a demonstration of Dr.
Budd’s equipment. German literature on the subject was translated and
provided by Max Erb. On April 24th, the Society convened at the Hematology Department
of Children’s Hospital. This meeting was devoted to the use and application
of the fluorescence microscope.

The next meeting was also held at Children’s Hospital and took place
on May 15, 1941. On this date the name of the Society was formally changed to
the Southern California Microscopical Society (SCMS). The first books for the
library were acquired courtesy of Max Erb. The books received were as follows:
The Microscope., Journal of the Biological Photographic Association and Spencer
Lens Company’s The Effective Use and Proper Care of the Microscope.

In June of 1941, an executive committee was established, and the following
members were appointed to the committee: Dr. John W. Budd., Max A. Erb., Major
Arthur C. Hurt, Jr., and James Smith. From this committee, the Society’s
first officers were elected, as follows: Mr. James Smith, President; Mr. Max
Erb, Vice-President; and Major Arthur C. Hurt, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer. Upon
motion duly made, seconded and carried, an annual membership fee was fixed in
the sum of $3. At the conclusion of this historic meeting the members adjourned
from Children’s Hospital and gathered at the home of Mr. Siegfried Rumann.
Mr. Rumann presented a motion picture of living protozoa and active Spirochaeta
pallida cinemicrographed using darkfield illumination. The host demonstrated
his equipment and laboratory techniques. At the time Mr. Rumann also worked
as a character actor in many of the Marx Brothers movies.

1946
After entry of the United States into World War II, the Society voluntarily
curtailed most of its activities. There is some indication that among certain
individuals work may have continued, especially for members associated with
the Biological Photographic Association. However, the records clearly indicate
that the Society was temporarily inactivated.

Early in 1946 the officers began efforts to energize the members and expand
the roll of the Society within the local scientific community. On February 28,
1946, the Secretary, Major Arthur C. Hurt, Jr., sent a letter to Dr. John A.
Comstock, Associate Director of the Science Museum at Exposition Park, of the
Los Angeles County Museum. This letter was the first step taken by the executive
committee to “revitalize the Society.”

On the evening of May 15, 1946, at 7:00pm, The Southern California Microscopical
Society held a meeting at the Los Angeles Athletic Club where the future of
the organization would be discussed. The President, Mr. James Smith, presided
and called the meeting to order. A summary of the purposes and goals of the
Society were outlined. Major Hurt reported that the officers of the Society
had contacted the L.A. County Museum and that a request to become affiliated
with it had been favorably approved. This new relationship provided a permanent
base of operation in which the Society could work and grow. It was decided that
meetings would be held quarterly at the L.A. County Museum and that the intervening
meetings would be held at the homes or in the laboratories of the members or
at such places as might be designated by the officers. The following members
were given the responsibility of providing regular reports on a pre-selected
group of publications:

James Smith - The Microscope

Lloyd Matlovsky - Journal of the Biological Photographic Assoc.

Maj. Arthur C. Hurt, Jr. - Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society

Maj. Arthur C. Hurt, Jr. - Stain Technology

William C. Oke - American Mineralogist

Dr. John W. Budd - Pathological & Medical Journals

Edward T. Lowe - Camera & Photographic Journals

Mr. Milton Gray suggested the establishment of a card index of published materials
on microscopy. He volunteered to prepare such an index for the year of 1946.

A number of regular meetings were held throughout the rest of 1946. This included
a June meeting at the forensic laboratory of Mr. William W. Harper. The July
meeting was held at the Los Angeles Tumor Institute and the August meeting at
the Research Lab of the Union Oil Company of California at which Dr. Merrill
and Dr. Naylor demonstrated the electron microscope. In September the Society
met at the Photographic Dept of the Los Angeles County General Hospital. For
the next few years this would become the most frequent alternative meeting place
after the Museum.

The last meeting for the year was held at the home of the President, Mr. James
Smith. By this time, the details for using the Museum had been worked out and
the officers were able to bring before the Society a meeting schedule. It was
decided that the Society should hold a regular meeting at the L.A. County Museum
every second month, commencing in January of 1947, and that special meetings
at alternative locations should be called whenever desirable. In preparation
for the first meeting at the Museum it was decided that each member should provide
an exhibit illustrating his or her area of interest.

1947
The first meeting at the County Museum took place on January 28, 1947. The meeting
was presided and called to order by Mr. James Smith. The content of the meeting
comprised the presentation of prearranged exhibits and photomicrographic illustrations.
Examples would include a series of 2x2 color slides on Ansco film by Mr. Smith,
featuring the mineral micro-mounts displayed by Mr. William Oke. Dr. John Budd
presented a series of color prints of cancer lesions, in the various phases,
before, during and after treatment. Mr. Edward Lowe and Major Arthur C. Hurt,
Jr., also displayed a series of photographs as well as the vertical photomicrographic
bench used in the process. The first meeting at the Museum was adjourned with
a vote of thanks to Dr. John Comstock for his courtesy in arranging a permanent
meeting place for the Society.

Along
with the convenience of having a secure new home, the Society had been growing
quite rapidly. The documented account of the March 25th meeting is recorded
on no less than three pages. The second meeting held at the Museum held a ballot
for new officers for the coming year and Major Arthur C. Hurt, Jr., was elected
President.

The new President then presided over the election of Dr. John W. Budd as the
new Vice-President and Mr. Max Erb as the new Secretary-Treasurer. Also of significance
at this meeting was the election of the Society’s first Honorary Member.
Upon motion duly made and carried, Dr. John A. Comstock was awarded the status
of honorary membership. Throughout the rest of the year 1947 the meetings were
held at the regular intervals established by the committee.

Before the new year arrived it was proposed by Mr. William Sokol that the Society
sponsor its first annual exhibition. This exhibition was to provide an opportunity
for the membership to display the products of their work and bring the members
together in an effort to educate each other as well as the public. The President
appointed Mr. Sokol to head what was to be called the Demonstration Committee.
Also appointed to the committee were Mr. Max Erb and William Oke. According
to Mr. Sokol this was the first such event ever held in Southern California
and to the author’s knowledge this statement is correct.

The announcements and program flyer described the event as “The Southern
California Microscopical Society Presents its Microscopical Demonstration and
Photomicrographic Display.” The demonstration was to be held on January
27, 1948, at the Junior Section of the L.A. County Museum of History, Science
and Art.

The displays consisted of a wide range of subjects including, microscope slides,
photomicrographs, micro-mineral mounts, methods of illumination, differential
staining techniques, fluorescence microscopy and all manner of apparatus including
photomicrographic equipment. Instructions for mounting the photomicrographs
and identification labels were also required. Several commercial dealers were
also invited to exhibit the latest in microscopical equipment. The event was
considered to be a complete success with 21 demonstrations and over 108 individuals
participating. As a result of the tremendous turnout, the President, Major Hurt,
proposed that the Society continue the demonstrations on an annual basis. In
the tradition established by this first occasion, the Society to this day continues
to dedicate the month of November to the annual exhibition.

A great deal of the history of the Society was shaped by the lives and experience
of these men. In turn, the lives of most of these men were shaped by their involvement
in the Society. We do justice to these gentlemen by remembering them as individuals
and honoring their contributions.

MAX A. ERB, Founder of The Microscope Group and 4th
PresidentAt
the time Max Erb organized The Microscope Group (1938), he was working for the
firm of Carl Zeiss at 728 South Hill Street. Due to WWII with Germany, the Zeiss
operations in the U.S. were closed. Max then went to work at the Frese Corporation
on microscopes for a short period. After this Max Erb and Milton Gray formed
the firm of “Erb & Gray.” For the first few years they were
located at 854 So. Figueroa Street in Los Angeles. They successfully retailed
instruments from a number of popular microscope makers. They even manufactured
a line of their own equipment including the Erb & Gray microscope illuminator
and the Erb & Gray measuring microscope. Max designed the microscope illuminator
with the help of a German optical employee. As a result of his association with
Los Alamos (New Mexico) and the Atomic Energy Commission, Max was contracted
to design and construct a remote-control metallograph which was to be shielded
from radiation. The instrument was delivered to Hanford, Washington in May of
1954. The installation of the metallograph was completed with the assistance
of his senior service man, Ray Tomlinson. He also developed his own portable
refractometer as well as the Visicam photomicrographic camera.

Eventually, Mr. Jack Norcross became associated with the firm and invested
funds for expanding the product line into other types of scientific instruments.
This included laboratory equipment, precision balances and even the Hitachi
electron microscope. In 1951, William Sokol joined the firm just in time to
see Milton Gray sell out his share of the business. At that point Mr. Carl McBain
left UCLA and became involved with Erb & Gray. In May 1954, Max Erb sold
out his interest in the firm and the next day opened a new business, Max Erb
Instrument Company on Olympic Boulevard in Los Angeles and at the same time
obtained the B&L franchise. Eventually, the new business moved to Burbank,
where it is located today managed by Max’s son Ron Erb. Jack Norcross
and Carl McBain continued to operate the firm of Erb & Gray. Assisting Max
through much of his business matters was his attorney Arthur Hurt, Jr. In the
course of time Arthur Hurt served as the second elected President of the Society.
Arthur Hurt had a son, Curt, who became an ophthalmologist. Not only was Max
Erb the founding father of the Microscopical Society and a successful businessman
but he was also an avid gardener. He specialized in the husbandry of orchids.

After Milton Gray left the establishment of Erb & Gray he began distributing
machine tools directly out of a large van. This provided some success until
he died prematurely of a heart attack, as he weighed over 270 pounds. Milton
had a reputation as an excellent machinist but had difficulty with business
matters.

JAMES SMITH, 1st President.James
Smith was the first elected President of the Society and was well known for
his work with diatoms and photomicrography. I have in my own slide collection
examples of diatoms mounted by Mr. Smith. His mounts are excellent and very
much like those of Mr. W. F. Herzberg and Mr. A. Brigger. I also have samples
of beautifully cleaned diatomaceous material stored in vials with his label.
In addition, we are fortunate to have a number of photographs illustrating his
photomicrographic setup. He was also considered to be a staunch Zeiss man and
was one of the few founding members who owned more than one stand. Like many
enthusiastic microscopists, he converted a portion of his house into a working
laboratory. He also set up a complete machine shop providing adapters and other
parts to the members. His lab was famous among the members and many enjoyable
meetings were conducted at his home.

Mr. Smith was president of the Hammond Lumber Company in Long Beach but lived
in South Pasadena. October 12, 1950, was the last meeting that any of the members
of the Society would see Mr. Smith alive. A few days later he died of a heart
attack in his office at the age of 55. The date of his passing was October 17,
1950. This was a great blow to the organization since he was, for the most part,
responsible for establishing the formal Society out of the Microscope Group.
He continually served as an inspiration to his friends and, without any doubt,
the Society greatly missed his leadership. In honor of his name, a memorial
fund was established and the proceeds were contributed to the Children’s
Hospital of Los Angeles.

MAJOR ARTHUR C. HURT, 2nd President
COLONEL WILLIAM D. FLEMING, 3rd President
I am sorry to say that there is not much information available on Major Arthur
C. Hurt, Jr. and Colonel William D. Fleming. The content of the early documents
indicates that both gentlemen contributed significantly to the establishment
and success of the Society. Arthur Hurt was Max Erb’s attorney who lived
in West Los Angeles and was a well-known member of the L.A. Country Club. He
served as the first secretary of the Microscopical Society and meticulously
typed out the minutes and correspondence. It is Mr. Hurt’s signature that
is seen on more of the early documents than of any of the other founding members.
His expertise was in the field of hematology and many of his exhibits illustrated
this subject. Both men presented a wide variety of lectures and demonstrations
illustrating their extensive knowledge and experience in microscopy. It was
during the presidencies of these two gentlemen that the Society experienced
its most rapid and sustained growth (1947 & 1948).

WILLIAM SOKOL, 5th PresidentIn
my own experience with the Society I can truly say that Mr. William Sokol represented
all that was positive about the early membership. He fulfilled the spirit and
purposes for originally establishing such a Society. He spent hours of his spare
time teaching many members the basics of cleaning and preparing diatoms. He
freely provided materials including rare chemicals used in polarized light experiments.
All of this was supported by his expertise in every format of Photomicrography.
I do not remember a single time when he refused to share his vast knowledge
or valuable experience. His enthusiasm for microscopy never flagged, and even
in the last year of his life he won first prize in the Olympus Photomicrography
contest. The technique used in this prize winning image was developed by a Southern
California photomicrographer named Martin Folb (ca.1976).

Mr. Sokol was an active member of the New York Microscopical Society from 1934
until May of 1943. At that time the Society met in the American Museum of Natural
History at Central Park West. He participated in the Society’s courses
and seminars which were provided by Professor Harry Taub of Columbia University.
Prof. Taub, who presented the courses on Crystallography and Chemical Microscopy
was later cited by Mr. Sokol as the inspiration for his desire to take color
photographs through the microscope. While associated with the New York Microscopical
Society, Mr. Sokol was influenced by a number of great microscopists, including
Wolfgang Von Zieler who was at that time president of E. Leitz Inc. of New York.
Mr. Von Zieler was also president of the New York Microscopical Society in 1939,
during the time that Mr. Sokol was active. Another important individual acquainted
with Mr. Sokol was Mr. Roy M. Allen, author of “The Microscope.”
Mr. Allen conducted seminars on photomicrography and micro-technique, including
specimen preparation and rock sectioning.

Mr. Sokol’s continued interest in diatoms was first inspired by Mr. Joseph
Burke who for many years worked at the Staten Island Museum. Mr. Burke is a
well known diatomist who has devoted most of his life to the study of North
American diatoms. He organized the diatom study group for the Society and, in
addition to presenting lectures, led the group on regular field trips. Among
Mr. Sokol’s memorabilia are a couple of notices from the New York Microscopical
Society announcing field trips headed by Mr. Burke. Both notices are from the
year 1940 and substantiate his association with that organization. A second
organization he belonged to was the American Society of Amateur Microscopists.
This Society was founded in 1939 and issued a certificate to its members that
was signed by its founder, Dr. Julian D. Corrington. Other early members of
the Southern California Microscopical Society also belonged to this organization,
including Mr. Zane Price. Before leaving the East Coast, Mr. Sokol studied bacteriology
at Newark University.

After
establishing himself in California, Mr. Sokol attended the Frank Wiggins Photographic
Trade College which has now become part of L.A. City College. He also attended
special courses in geology at UCLA and optical Mineralogy at USC. After more
than a decade of study and dedication, he had successfully established himself
as a noteworthy microscopist and was well prepared to contribute to the success
of the fledgling Southern California Microscopical Society. Over the years,
Mr. Sokol published a number of scientific papers, all of which were associated
with microscopy. A few examples include: “Art and the Microscope,”
in Functional Photography Magazine, “35mm Photomicrography,” in
Biological Photographic Journal, “Crystal Photography,” in Camera
Craft Magazine and “Mounting and Preparing Diatoms for Microscopic Study,”
(LAMS bulletin).

The Southern California Microscopical Society was the first scientific organization
Mr. Sokol joined after moving to the West Coast in 1943. However, he eventually
became active in a number of other groups that represented his interests. In
that same year he joined the Biological Photographic Association and became
its treasurer, eventually being elected its president. He was also the vice-president
of the Camera Chromers of Inglewood, one of many camera clubs with which he
was associated. He was also affiliated with a number of notable English Societies,
including the Royal Microscopical Society and the Quekett Microscopical Club.
His correspondence with Mr. H.A. Dade led to his application to the Quekett.
Mr. Dade, who at the time was assistant director of the Commonwealth Mycological
Institute, Kew, sponsored Mr. Sokol’s application. As a result, Mr. Sokol
joined the Quekett in April of 1954.

As we learned earlier, the microscope strongly influenced the employment decisions
of many of the founding members. These circumstances were also true in the case
of Mr. Sokol, however, it did not start out that way. In the late 1920’s
when Mr. Sokol lived in New Jersey, he was employed as a bus driver. Sometime
in 1931 or 1932 he became a passenger traffic agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad
in New York City. He remained in this position until 1943 when he moved to California.
It was during the time he was employed in New York that he organized a camera
club among his friends in the railroad business. There remains today a photograph
of Mr. Sokol and his fellows from the station proudly exhibiting their photographic
work.

After moving to California, Mr. Sokol’s first job was with the Pacific
Railroad Company as a ticket agent. He spent the next nine or ten years with
the railroad until May of 1952, when he began working for the Erb & Gray
Instruments Co. He was administrative director of this company, and as such
acquired a great deal of valuable experience.

Many years earlier, in 1929, Mr. George Lory established the Los Angeles Scientific
Instrument Company (LASICO)* See Footnote. Herman Adler was a traveling representative
for E.Leitz, Inc. He persuaded Mr. Lory to expand his business and establish
LASICO, and hire Mr. Sokol as the Sales Manager. So after four years with Erb
& Gray, Mr. Sokol was hired by Mr. Lory of LASICO, where he was employed
for 16 years before retiring in 1971 at the age of 67. However, it seems that
he spent a short time working at the Max Erb Instrument Co. in Burbank, but
in a limited capacity. He spent a total of 20 years selling scientific instruments.

Mr. Sokol was elected president of the Southern California Microscopical Society
on July 13, 1950. In his notes he stated that he was also the vice-president
for a short period. I have not been able to determine at what time or under
which president he served in this capacity. In the 1950’s, the records
were not well kept and are not clear enough to make concrete determinations.
As mentioned earlier, Mr. Sokol served as chairman of the Demonstration Committee
for the 1948 Exhibition. He was elected secretary-treasurer on March 23, 1948,
at the same time Colonel Fleming was elected president and Milton Gray, vice-president.
A few years later, after assuming the office of president, he continued carrying
out the duties of secretary. In 1951, when Lloyd Matlovsky became president,
he asked Mr. Sokol to continue as secretary-treasurer. This dual role lasted
until late 1952. In 1951, during Mr. Sokol’s presidency, the most notable
speaker was Mr. George Needham. Mr. Needham was president of the San Francisco
Microscopical Society and the author of “The Practical Use of the Microscope.”
This book has come to be known as the “microscopist’s bible.”
Mr. Needham’s lecture concerned the application of phase microscopy and
was illustrated with Kodachrome slides. He was invited to Los Angeles by Mr.
Bert Scott, a SCMS member, who had been corresponding with Mr. Needham.

LLOYD MATLOVSKY, 6th President
After serving in the U.S. Navy as an optical engineer, Lloyd Matlovsky became
affiliated with the University of Southern California. As mentioned above, he
followed Mr. Sokol as president in October of 1951. By this time, many of the
activities of the Society were combined with those of the Biological Photographic
Association. As the members migrated to the BPA, there were no sustained efforts
to maintain the structure and offices of the Microscopical Society.

This brings to an end the account of the first historical period of the Society.
The revived Society of the early 1970’s was brought about by Prof. John
deHaas and should be the subject of future documentation.